Mountains and Monsters
by Proud Pancake of Prussia
Summary: Matthew, Lovino, Arthur, Ludwig, Yao, and Mathias's world is divided by six regions. Each had a mountain full of unbearable weather and deadly monsters. When monsters start leaving the mountains and killing people, it's up to them to find out why. But the way to figure is out is to travel to the peaks of the mountains. A journey that no-one has come back from. Fantasy AU.
1. Chapter 1

_**This is an idea I've had for a while. I've been working on this for ages. More chapters will be posted as soon as possible.**_

Since the beginning of time, six regions divided the world. The mountains, that stretched into the sky and cut through the clouds, defined the regions. Unbearable weather and deadly monsters surrounded the mountains. No humans knew what was at the peak of each mountain. All who had climbed them had died.

Monsters, territory and people differed with each region. Unfortunately, the six regions, Ice, Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and the Void never got along. For hundreds of years the people have been at war with each other. The only time of relative peace was during the last seventy-five years. And even with the peace there was still prejudice.

Matthew Williams worked as a bartender in a small village at the edge of the ice region. His brother Provided all the money, so Matthew only worked to keep busy. Alfred, Matthew's brother, was a famous warrior for his home. While he fought for their regions freedom, Matthew never even left the village. Matthew's bolder, stronger, and handsomer brother overshadowed him. It was unavoidable to hide behind Alfred, since his ego who could fill an entire region. Alfred's constant mob of girls and overinflated hero complex made him hard to live with. And, if Matthew was honest, people needed to see him. He needed to stand beside his brother, not behind.

Sighing, Matthew served up cold Vodkas to a small group of people at the bar. In the early night, the bar was quiet and calm. He enjoyed working The earlier hours because the bums didn't come to drown their sorrows in beer until late into the night. Waking up the passed out men was awkward and tiring. Most of the time, They would be angry or cranky, making Matthew more uncomfortable than he already was. People migrated into the bar to escape the frosty air of the ice region. Weather in the ice region was the coldest of the six regions. Half of the year was snowy and the other half was like a chilly early spring. A large part of the region consisted of Tundras and pine forests

"Another beer sir!" A tipsy man yelled across the bar. The man chuckled waving his hand in the air. Matthew filled a glass and slid the beer to him. Matthew's village was a popular tourist spot in the ice region. Known for the cathedral that stood at its center. Because of the tourism, Matthew picked up on a lot of outside news. He would listen in on conversations floating around the bar. The rumors were the best he could get since Matthew was too afraid and far too comfortable to leave the village. The bar was filled with chatter and drunken laughter. It was easy to pick up information off of drunks. The words slid off their lips, like a waterfall. Their brains, too intoxicated to tell a lie. "Did you hear about the whisper attack in the wind region last week?" An old man with silvery hair chatted to a woman wearing fire region armer. The armor was golden with red stripes of metal woven around her torso. Despite being a woman, her armor was not revealing and did not make her look weak. If anything, it made the woman look fierce and terrifying. "A whisper attack?"

The woman had long blonde hair pulled into a ponytail, with a flower holding a few loose strands in place. She held up her glass and waved Matthew over. Despite being a woman, her armor was not revealing and did not make her look weak. If anything, it made the woman look fierce and terrifying. Matthew gulped and filled her glass. He hoped he wouldn't anger the woman. "Yeah, the whisper broke into a farm house. Took the whole family 'cept one. The poor guy still believes they're out there." The old man chattered "I don't mean to eavesdrop, but what's a whisper?" Matthew asked, while he busied himself by wiping down the counter. The woman set her glass down and turned from the old man. She looked over Matthew, as If deciding something, then spoke. "Have you ever left the village, kid?"

After a monster killed Matthew's parents, he and Alfred had grown up in the village orphanage. Since then Matthew had been too scared to leave. "N-No" He stuttered under the unwanted gaze the woman gave him. The woman shrugged and took a large swig from her cup. "A whisper is a ghost like creature from the wind region. It snatches their prey from their homes. They don't kill on the spot like Eisbärs do can't see Whispers because of their speed. We only know they exist because of the whistling sound they make." The woman spoke of Whispers like she had encountered one herself, she could have. Only God knows what Warriors went through, Matthew sure didn't. "You know, Kid, You should get out if this village, go have an adventure or something. Here!" The woman flicked a gold coin towards Matthew. Then downed the rest of her glass and pushed from her seat. "If you're on an adventure in the fire region and you need a place to stay asked for Elizabeta Héderváry and I'll come, bye." She paused for a second and looked for Matthew's name tag. "Bye Matthew," Elizabeta walked out of the bar, threatening the eager, sex starved men with a frying pan.

Hours later, Matthew closed up the bar. He whistled as he wiped the tables down and stacked the chairs. After he mopped the floor and locked the bar, He started walking home. Snow fell onto the ground, collecting in a thin layer. It coated buildings like sprinkles on a cake. The houses in the village were small, simple, two story buildings. Most of them had a market or store in front, that all surrounded the cathedral. The cathedral had saved the village from an outbreak of smallpox in the hundreds of years it had existed. The village worshiped the cathedral because of that.

His house was in front of the cathedral, which was a good fifteen minutes away from the bar. He hated walking in the night. Matthew knew that the monster were lurking in the dark waiting to kill him. Any day could be his last. A trail of pale blue ice swirled around the path as he walked. Recognizing the signs of a monster in the area, Matthew sped up, trying to reach home before anything happened. Unfortunately, The monster toppled him over before he reached his house. It placed its hairy white claws on either side of Matthew, preventing escape. Ice swirled around it's feet, encasing Matthew's back in ice. The Eisbär looked like a large white bear, with two swirling ram horns on either side of it's head. It's eye were the bluest shade of blue Matthew had ever seen. Matthew knew that Eisbärs prefered to tear the prey into bits before eating. They froze the ground the walked on. Using the ice to trap their prey. Matthew screamed as the Eisbär began to sink it's claws into his abdomen. Matthew thought he was going to die without ever leaving the village. What a meaningless life that would be, Matthew thought with panic. Matthew should've left the village. As the beast tore at Matthew, he sunk into his mind.

Upon hearing the scream, people began to light the candles in their house and fire up torches. All the citizens knew about Eisbärs and were ready to attack them.

When Alfred heard the scream he tore away from the stranger in bed with him. He slipped on jeans and a robe. "Luckily Military training me how to dress faster." Alfred muttered.

He grabbed his sword and ran outside. A crowd had surrounded the Eisbär and prevented the creature from hurting the victim. They waved torches in it's face as the beast growled, snarled and snapped. "Alright." Alfred yelled, grabbing a torch from the crowd. He had a torch in one hand and a sword in the other. "Step aside, I got this!" The crowd parted and made a way for their village warrior to chase away the beast and save the unidentified man. Alfred waved the sword underneath the torch flame, heating the metal until it turned red. He lunged forward, nicking the white tuffs of the Eisbär. The monster growled, raising its paws in the air, like a frightened horse. Alfred took the opportunity to slice off the horn of the Eisbär. The horn dropped to the ground, sinking into the snow. The beast screamed and retreated into the forest. It knocked over plants and trees, toppling garden's and breaking shrines. The Eisbär screeched, disappearing in a cloud of snow. Alfred stuck the sword into the ground, then turned to the crowd. "You're welcome," He said, picking up the person from the ground, who had passed out when the Eisbär started to claw them. "Shit, Mattie! I didn't know I was saving you!" Even though Alfred seemed like he didn't care, he loved Matthew more than anyone else in the world. Alfred carried Matthew back inside and placed him on their sofa. "Don't worry little bro, Your hero, Alfred Fucking Jones, will fix you all up!" Alfred exclaimed stripping down his brother's clothes. Matthew had claw marks stretching from his right arm to is abdomen. The cuts made Matthews thin frame and childlike features stick out. Luckily they weren't deep cuts, but frostbite combined with dirt made Matthew at a high risk for infection. When wanting to become an ice region warrior, you had to have a basic level of healing capabilities. Alfred's childhood dream was to be a warrior, so he knew more than enough. He spent the night cleaning the claw marks and trying to quell Matthew's already developing fever.

O~O

"Lovino, Do you think you could fix my frying pan? I chipped it by accident." Elizabeta opened the door to the blacksmith. A man with dark brown hair that curled on his left side was hammering a dull blade. "Sure, you basket case." Lovino tossed his head to the side. "Put it on my desk," Elizabeta glared in response. She stomped over to the cluttered desk, sweeped all the items onto the floor and placed her frying pan on it. "If you weren't such a good blacksmith, I wouldn't buy from you." Lovino moved to the sharpener, "But you do. Bye bitch, you know where the door is." He pointed towards the wooden door. Elizaveta huffed, knowing he had a point, then stomped out of the Blacksmith's store. "That boy is never gonna get a wife."

Lovino placed the half sharpened blade on a cluttered desk. He placed some cast iron on in a thick steel pot then placed it under the fire. "Come on Lovi~ Try to be nice to the customers," A tall man that resembled Lovino stood in the doorway, smiling. "I don't need to be nice to them grandpa, they'll buy from us either way," Lovino shrugged, taking the cast iron off the heat. He slipped thick gloves and grabbed a handful of Iron. The heated metal was like putty, bendable, stretchable, malleable. "You never gonna get a wife with that attitude." Romulus laughed as his grandson ignored him. Lovino turned his head to face his Romulus, "I don't want a wife," Again, Romulus tossed his head back and laughed. "Are you finally coming out?" Dealing with cocky fire region warriors and his obnoxious grandfather drove Lovino crazy. "If I was gay I'd move to that weird, earth region, hick town full of dick sucking men." Lovino hammered down on the old frying pan.

As the best blacksmith in the fire region he found himself working with the warriors quite often. He has been repairing Elizabeta's weapons, Armor and frying pan, for years. No matter how many times the female warrior whined about she's only get her supplies repair by him. Sometime during Lovino's repair Romulus had left. Finishing the repair, Lovino gave the pan a quick polish and left his shop. His tools bounced against the brown apron as he walked.

His village was known for the high population of fire region warrior and the military base at the edge of town. Most tourist avoided the area due to the warriors. Lovino walked up to a large stone house and knocked. Several latches unlocked before the door creaked open. "Ciao Roderich, tell you crazy wife I fixed her pan." Roderich rolled his eyes and let Lovino inside. "She's not crazy," Lovino tugged off his shoes and followed Roderich into the main living room. "How much do we owe you this time?" Instead of wearing her normal Warrior attire, Elizaveta marched wearing a green maid dress. "Did you fix her?" Lovino nodded and passed the Frying pan to Elizabeta. "Great! Now we can go to that ball thing. Thanks Lovi~" She smiled, straightening Roderich's tie. "It's Lovino, and y'all owe me one hundred coins, two loaves of bread and goat cheese, pay up." Frowning, Elizabeta turned to the grumpy Italian then shuffled to the kitchen. She pulled out two loaves and wrapped some Goat cheese then counted out one hundred coins. "Here, your royal highness." She passed the payment to Lovino. "Now leave my house." Lovino flipped off the couple before he left their house.

He always walked through the park in his way back from Elizabeta's. He loved to sit in the tall grass, with Sun beating on his skin. Lovino loved children, but he wouldn't admit it. Children were innocent and happy. He would sit at the park and listen to the children play as he sketched. The park used to overflow with children, now it had a few lingering on the monkey bar's. The population of children was decreasing because of monster attack. The fire region monsters were dragons whose scales oozed with magma. Their jaws dripped with lava and the heat of their bodies set fire to buildings. The regions called them Mantles. Mantles went after children because the meat on them was newer. Lovino hated to see the half eaten carcases after a Mantle attack. Lovino would do anything to stop the attacks, even climb the mountain peaks. Lovino sat under the Sun until it set behind the towering mountain. He dreamt about changing the world.

O~O

Ludwig had a routine. A system he followed everyday. He'd wake up, get dressed, eat, work out for an hour, then head to the Warrior headquarter, all before the Sun went up. The Sun never shined in the void region. It was either blocked by clouds or it was night. The Sun also rose later in the day, around nine in the morning.

At the Warrior headquarters he would train new recruits for three hours, break for lunch, then work out for two hours. He almost never broke routine. When he did it was because of an emergencies. After his second workout session he'd head to the meeting room that the higher up members held. Then he'd head home, walk his dogs before the sunset and eat. After dinner he'd take a shower and read a chapter of a book, then sleep. He followed his schedule like clockwork. Ludwig didn't mind the repetition of his day. I'm fact he prefered having a predictable life.

By request from his superiors, Ludwig's schedule shifted off balance. Marshal Wilson asked to meet with Ludwig in the morning. Meaning he had to skip his usual routine. Ludwig combed back his hair and strapped on his Warrior armor. The Armor was a thin steel material made by a Blacksmith from the fire region. Ludwig preferred hand crafted armor over the void region mass produced ones. The only hand crafted armor in the entire six regions

Ludwig knocked on Marshal Wilson's doors. "It's Colonial Beilschmidt, you wanted to speak with me, sir." A smiling man opened the door, he wasn't wearing the same armor as Ludwig. While Ludwig's armor was black, the Marshall's was a dark purple. The color showed his military status. "Yes, Yes, come on in Ludwig." Ludwig followed Dr. Wilson inside, then sat down in one of the many chairs in the room. "What is this meeting about, sir?" Ludwig also made it his goal to be polite to his superiors, not because he had to. Marshal Wilson sat down in a chair right next the Ludwig, his close distance making the Colonel uncomfortable. "I needed to ask for help." Ludwig nodded his head. If Marshal Wilson needed help it must be something important.

"I'll do anything you need, Sir."

"Before I say anything, I want you to know that you can say no to this, alright?" Marshal Wilson was a little reluctant to ask Ludwig, since he knew the blond wouldn't refuse the task.

"Alright." Ludwig spoke, not drawing his eyes off the Marshal.

Marshal Wilson glanced at the door. A slight mist of rain had started outside, making it darker than it already was. Noticing the darkness, Ludwig lit an oil candle that was sitting in the table.

"A ice region civilian has started to organize an expedition to each of the peaks." Ludwig gasped, the peaks were dangerous. Everyone knew this. Not only was the weather harsher the closer you got to it, but monsters guarded the peaks. The last time someone had tried to climb it was hundreds of years ago and the man had never returned. What could have happened to this person?

"He already has three other people. Once they get one from each region they plan on leaving." Wilson paused and glanced at Ludwig, who didn't quite understand. "I want you to join them." Ludwig was even more confused. His Marshal wanted him to travel with civilians in a death trip to the mountains. What confused him more was the fact that people wanted to go to the mountains. Were they insane? And he was being asked to go with them?

"Now, I get that seems a bit crazy,"

Not a bit crazy, Ludwig thought, completely basket case crazy.

"They are going to find out about the monster attacks."

Hundreds have perished to monster attacks every year and the numbers were climbing. It had started twelve years ago, dying from them was rare, about ten a year. Ludwig understood why they'd want to go. If a person was desperate enough, they'd do anything.

"I want you to protect the civilians. You'll most likely die. But, like I said, you don't have to say yes-" Ludwig interrupted Marshal Wilson before he could finish.  
"I'll do it," Ludwig agreed. Marshal Wilson turned and look at Ludwig with the most serious expression that he could make. "Alright, you leave at once. Pack your stuff. May God protect you." Ludwig left that afternoon on a carriage to the ice region.


	2. Chapter 2

The largest farm in the wind region was only worked by four people. Three, if you wanted to be specific. They worked knee deep in grains of wheat, and rice. Picking corn from the towering fields that stretched for miles. They had small fields of indigo and cotton. Anything that could be grown was on the farm. Everyone wondered how a family of four could work an entire farm by themselves. Most would say it was their advanced technology but if you asked the farmers, they'd say family.

Mathias pushed a wheelbarrow along a dirt path. He was moving the weeds and rocks from the fields to the house for recycling.

Attached to the side of the house was a large wheel, with water dripping off the algae coated sides. A canal was dug out to bring the water to the farm instead of living next to the lake.

Passing the kitchen, a wonderful smell wafted through the air. "Whatcha cooking, Emil?" He exaggerated the syllables. Mathias stretched his neck and peered into the window. Emil was mixing together a frothing pot of vegetables and minced meat. His hair platinum hair pulled out of His purple eyes."Food." Emil kept his eye on the meal, trying his best to ignore the Dane. "Well it smells delicious! Can I have a taste test?" Mathias tilted his head the side and threw in his irresistible face. Emil shook his head and scraped the meat into the pot. It seemed Mathias's irresistible face wasn't irresistible. "Mathias, back to work!" A tall, stoic man called from the rice fields. Cheerful laughter followed the call from across the corn field. "Alright, Berwald, I'm going." Mathias marched to the south side of the house, He dumped the rocks and weeds into a pile, collecting like trash.

After the weeds and rocks were , he returned to a empty field and started plowing the land. Each person in the family had specific fields they worked on. Well, everyone except Emil. They rotated the crops each year. Mathias enjoyed the rotation of the crops because it made life less full and repetitive. He hated when things kept to the same schedule. He enjoyed the little changes, like having soup one night and pork the next. Mathias had a strong sense of adventure but his family held him in place . He would die for his family.

"Mathias! Tino! Berwald! Foods ready!" Emil called from the house. The three working finished their work and cleaned up. Emil set the table as Mathias, Tino and Berwald sat down. "I still don't understand why I can't work the fields." Emil grumbled passing around a basket full of steamy bread. "Y'r St'll a Ch'ld." Berwald dug into the meal. "I'm sixteen!" Emil yelled, earning surprised faces from the farmers. "That's pretty young, Little Bro." Mathias said, patting Emil's head. "Fine, at least let me do something other than cook and clean." Starting the next week Emil would handle selling the extra crops to nearby towns. This would work out better for everyone. It gave the others more time to work and it kept Emil busy. Unfortunately, the teen wouldn't make it until the next week.

"Good night, Little Brother!" Mathias yelled blowing out the candle in Emil's room. "Night, Mathias." Mathias said goodnight to every member then headed to his own bed. The four children all grew up in the same orphanage. When Mathias turned thirteen he got a job at a small farm. He asked the farmer if he and his family could move into his barn. Instead the Farmer rebuilt his house and added rooms for each children. When the farmer died he gave the farm to Matthias's family and they worked to expand it. Three years ago Berwald and Tino married, luckily for Mathias they never left the farm.

Late into the night, Mathias woke up to terrified screeching and loud angry yelling. A soft whistling, like wind chimes, echoed through the house. It played an airy tune, masked with impending doom.

Recognizing the sounds of a whisper, Mathias jumped out of bed and ran to Emil's room. Emil huddled under his blanket, shaking with fear. "Mathias, it took Tino." He whispered. Distant, distressed yelling could heard from the fields. "Berwald!" Mathias yelled. He glanced out the Windows. Berwald stood in the middle of a corn field, following a blurry grey blob. The blob had a screaming Tino clapped between its jaws. The whisper moved to fast for the human eye to see, with made whispers hard to track. "Behind you Berwald!" Mathias watched the Swedish man get dragged off by a whisper. "Emil, stay here and lock the door." Matthias grabbed his face from the storage closet and marched to the corn field.

He could see the stocks sway as the whispers surrounded him. Mathias swung his axe blindly, wacking a couple until the yback off. The sound of smashing glass echoed. Turning his head, Matthias saw Emil get dragged into the night, by a whistling, grey blob. "Big brother help me!" Emil never called him big brother. Mathias dropped the axe and charged after Emil. His clothes flapped against the wind. It restricted his movement.

He had raised the teen since Emil showed up at the orphanage. Mathias never let the workers touch Emil. Emil had followed Mathias around for years, never leaving the older. He was clingy, but Mathias loved it.

That week Mathias worked the farm during the day and search for his family at night. He didn't get any sleep and ate hardly anything. Too much to do, he thought. Mathias didn't have time to relax or eat. His family was out there, ready for saving. And if Mathias didn't work faster, the whisper would eat them. The only people to come back from a whisper attack arrive in coffins. Their clothes were in shreds and the meat on their bones sucked clean off. Determined to save his family, Mathias ignored anyone who told him his family was dead.

Mathias hauled a barrel of corn to a nearby market. Their was a poster telling about a person's plan to travel to the mountains. To find out why the monsters were leaving. Mathias ripped the poster down. He folded it and placed it in a pocket. "That kid is an idiot and anyone signing up for that death mission is one too." The market owner growled, lighting the and of a cigarette. "Yeah, Lars, That's why I'm taking the poster. So no stupid little kids decide to go." That was a lie, Mathias thought. Lying was bad. "The mountains are dangerous." Lars nodded, pressing the butt of his cigarette into the dirt. "How are you holding up, Mathias? With your family and all."

He held a cigarette out to Mathias, who graciously took the cancer stick. "I'll be fine, I actually came to find some people willing to work on my farm." Mathias lit the cigarette and leaned against the wall. "I'm going to take a small vacation." He laughed. "God knows I need one." Lars told Mathias about a few people who need work. "They're not coming back you know." The owner said before he paid Mathias for the corn. Without another word, Lars pointed the Dane in the direction where he could get employees.

O~O

Yào Wáng worked as a wealthy merchant, from a long line of rich upper class citizens. His number one goal in life was to please his family, no matter the cause. He's kill a man for his family. Yào would kill himself for his family.

His family's main line of business was in the textile industry. They also sold furniture, horses, mules, coal and a few other products. The Wáng family's success came from it's cheap and mass produced products. Yào himself sold coal and expensive fabric. He usually worked with foreign buyers, from every region.

"Andy! Hurry up and get the fabrics out of the rain and up the hills before it floods!" Yào carried a large boxed, packed to the brim with a rainbow of soft spiky fabrics. Many of Yào workers were hustling around. Trying to get all the fabrics to the top of a hill. The water region had many rivers and was prone to their banks overflowing and flooding the land. The Wáng family was building a levee in front of the house. In the meantime, they had to transfer their products to a nearby hill incase.

When it rained, people locked their door and hide inside for protection. Not from the rain or the flooding, but from the monsters that lurked in any puddle of water. They could bend it to their will and travel through it like portals. An Inch deep puddle could turn into a mile deep lake into the world of a Sairy. They bring clouds of mist and confusion. Hallucinations of victims worst fears. They lured people in with loved ones mimicked voices. Sairies looked like a siren morphed with a fairy. Sairies were anything but beautiful.

"Kiku, We lost a few men last week during the storm." Yào reported to Kiku, the man in charge of the Wáng family business. Kiku files the report, then turned to Yào. "Quit or attacks." "Attacks." Not only was the loss of life depressing, but it also affected the economic growth of the company.

The Wang business had lost half its workers in two years due to the Sairy attacks. While some died, most workers left for the safety of their family. The remaining workers had to work twice as long and get paid less. And as one can assume, they were not happy and some even quit. "You know Kiku, that ice region kid's leading a team of people to the mountains. I could join the group and find out about the attacks."

Yào knew he could die, but he wanted to serve his family. After all, there was always the possibility of death. It hung over everyone's head, like a fishing line. You wouldn't die until you reached up and tugged, but It was always there. Waiting for you to take the bait.

Most people didn't understand Yào's loyalty to his family. They didn't understand why he would die for them. If his family's company was in danger, then his family was in danger. Yao saw this as a reasonable excuse to risk his life. For the greater good, of course.

"Yào, you will die." Kiku didn't betray any emotion. "As much as we need the monsters to leave, you can't risk your life for your job. That would be stupid."

"It's not for my job it's for my family" Yào smiled, putting the last of the files up. "You really want to do this?" Even Kiku didn't understand Yào.

Why would he risk his life for something as stupid as money? As a company. It didn't make sense to anyone but Yào.

"Of course."

Yào doubted anyone would understand him, but his family learned to trust Yào. His motives may never make sense to them, but they all know Yào is wise.

"Very well, Yào Wáng. Please come back." Kiku dismissed Yào. Kiku would have to inform the rest of the family of Yào's suicide mission.

O~O

Arthur Kirkland was the local doctor. He in a reclusive town deep inside the earth region, with his little brother, Peter, and his mother, Amanda. "Alright, . You should be rid of your ailments in about a week, if you take the elixher twice a day." Arthur handed the elderly lady a bottle full of a green liquid. Mrs. Hudson shoved the bottle in her shackle. She passed Arthur a small bag of coins with a shaky hand. Then Mrs. Hudson gathered her things and hobbled out the door.

Sunlight filtered through the window, alerting Arthur that his working day was up. He packed up his supplies into a brown briefcase, shoving all his materials inside. Even if he looked the part, Arthur wasn't organized. Scattered across the one room building were his medicines and files.

He walked down the quiet dirt path. The trees around the path swirled up and twisted together, creating an arch. Flower vines curled around the trees and hung down from the top like a chandler. Arthur liked walking the path because it was a direct route to Peter's school and nobody ever walked on it. Arthur would do anything to avoid human contact. The school was a little wooden house at the top of a hill. Since the town was small, there wasn't a lot of children and they didn't need a big school. "Hello, , Here to pick up Peter?" Emerald Long, the teacher, asked, resting her elbows on a desk. Arthur nodded, shifting his briefcase. "Have you found a nice young lady or man yet, ?" Emerald asked, batting her eyes. Emerald was notorious for hitting on the single men and woman in the town. She could usually pick up a few travelers with her curving body, rather large breasts and curly red hair. "Um, No. B-But, I haven't been looking so." Arthur looked through the schoolhouse door and gulped. "Hurry up Peter, We don't have all day." Emerald moved a little closer, much too close for Arthur. "You know, . If you want you could always take me out," Arthur stepped back.

Arthur always made it his goal to be polite to the Ladies in his town, Chivalry. Even if he had to polite to the most pushy female he had ever met. Of course Arthur was an ass to the men in the town. "I'm sorry, but Peter and I have chores to do so we must be off." Arthur grabbed the collar of his brother's shirt and dragged him down the path. "You know Artie, She'll stop pining after you if you're mean to her." Peter suggested. Arthur glared at Peter as he straighten his coat. "It's against my moral code," Peter drew his eyebrows together and glared up at Arthur. "Well fuck your moral code, Emerald is a creep," Arthur smacked the side of Peter's head. "Don't curse!" Peter laughed and started marching down the path. "Wait for me you little twit." Arthur ran after his giggling brother, grumbling even though he enjoyed these moments.

When Peter turned the corner he giggling stop. Peter froze, staring down the path. Hanging from the vines was hissing monster. It uncurled it's tail and dropped onto the ground. "Arthur!" He screeched, "There's a Parasnake over here!" Arthur's blood drain from his face and he bolted towards his brother. Inches away from Peter was a viney snake like creature with rose thorns woven around it's body. It had a colorful crown of rainbow feathers wrapped around it's head. The same colorful array of feathers coated the tip of its tail. The Parasnake hissed, swaying as it slithered closer. "Peter, whatever you, don't move." Arthur slowly bent down and picked a rock the size of his palm. He coiled his arm and chucked the rock at the snake. The smashed against the Parasnake's head, crumbling to pieces. It snapped its head in Arthur's direction, but continued to slither towards Peter. "B-Big Broth-ther." The Parasnake opened, it's fangs dripping with a slimy green poison. "Peter, Run!" Peter darted toward Arthur. He grabbed Arthur's hand and they both ran forward. Parasnake lunged forward, wrapping itself around Peter's ankle and yanked the two back. Vines sprang from the ground grabbing Arthur and pulling him against a tree. Another set of vines wrapped around Peter's wrist. The brothers struggled in their bindings. Parasnake swayed closer to Peter, its mouth gaping open. "Someone help us!" Arthur screeched, twisting in the vines.

The monster lunged forward and sank it's teeth into the blond twelve year old. All in an instant, a group of people bursted through the forest. The parasnake hissed and slithered away. The parasnake hissed and slithered away. The vines disappeared and Peter dropped to the ground. He felt a sharp pain from the fangs breaking skin. A burning sensation filled his blood streams and blocked his airways. He couldn't breath. A green tint color his veins and spread through his body. He writhed on the ground, gasping for breath. "Peter. Peter can you hear me?" Arthur knelt down, the child nodded. "You're gonna be alright, Alright." The Poison of a Parasnake was fast acting and deadly. Within minutes, Peter's mind had calmed and his perception had distorted. He couldn't think. He stopped writhing and finally relaxing. At last his heart stopped and his blood turned cold. All under ten minutes. Arthur's face was blank as he lifted his little brother up and carried him home. "Goodbye little brother,"

 _ **Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed. More characters will appear in the future.**_

 _ **My editor was Hannah. If you review I'll start writing chapter two. Chapter One and Two Were Split and the paragraphs were separated due to a helpful comment By Willow Breeze the first. I hope it is easier to read. And a couple words were changed due to a request by TheSilentLilac. Thank Ya'll**_


	3. Chapter 3

Growling under his breath, Lovino dragged his luggage off the carriage. Not only was his bag heavy, but his legs were stiff from the long ride and he was starving. The driver had refused to stop along the way because of ice. Freezing, slippery, hellish ice. Lovino hated the Ice region.

The cold winds that tugged his scarf and the snow that clung to his hair. It was dreadful. Not to mention his whole body was numb.

The coldest it ever got in the Fire region was a whopping forty-five degrees Fahrenheit. Since it never got cold, Lovino had to buy a ratty old coat that itched his skin. He swore it had fleas, but it was the best he could get. They didn't sell coats in the Fire region.

The brunet swung the suitcase over his head and marched through the town. Beggars lined the streets, trying squeeze every penny out of the naive tourists. "Come son, buy a watch," they bargained, backing into a darkened corner. Or "Souvenirs, buy one get one free," they yelled, throwing useless knick knacks at the tourist. Lovino was glad to hurry down the street.

Around the corner was a towering cathedral. It had two large pillars, painted a pearl white, that connected into a point on the roof. The top of the building was paint a deep radiant grey and two crosses were on either side. Lovino had heard about the cathedral, but he had never seen it before. It was tall. Beautiful. Regal. If Lovino didn't know any better, he would've thought it was a castle. He stood in the middle of the stone path way, admiring the magnificent structure. "Get out the road, you crazy fire head." An angry man yelled from a carriage. A string of insults followed his complaints.

"Fire head" is a discriminatory term used to describe a person from the Fire region. Long ago, the fire region had walled itself off from the other regions. They claimed that the other regions would contaminate the gene pool. They stayed walled up for years and years, long enough for the children to spread rumors. They used to think that people from the Fire region could control fire. Parents would scare their children into thinking that fire heads would set them a blaze. The term evolved into meaning a narcissistic, bad-tempered, Fire region citizen.

"Excuse you, bastard. I'm walking." Since Lovino wanted to be on his best behavior, he didn't punch the man in the gut. Punching the stranger would require Lovino taking his hand out of his pockets. He would do anything to avoid cold hands, including not acting on his anger.

He shuffled off the road, pausing at an intersection to look at street signs. The signs were top-heavy wooden poles nailed into the cobblestone roads. They weren't as efficient as the signs in the Fire region, but at least they had signs.

Once Lovino had his direction, he marched down the road, only pausing to take a final glance at the cathedral.

Lovino shifted his luggage to one hand then hammered on the front door. A few locks later, the door creaked open. "Uh, Bonjour?" A man with bright violet eyes answered the door. His golden blond hair bunched around his ears and a small lone curl bounced as he talked. The man looked surprised to have visitors. "Ciao, I'm Lovino, here for the thing." Matthew was more than surprised that anyone had actually come.

Why would anyone want to join him on a completely idiotic death trip? At least one of them wouldn't make it out. One would have to be suicidal to join him. If that was the case, why was Matthew even doing this? He didn't want to die.

"Oh, um. Welcome." Matthew pushed the door open wider, letting Lovino through. "You can put your coat in the closet." Lovino stripped off his coat and hung it, glad to rid himself of the flea ridden mess. He slammed his suitcase on the ground then turned to Matthew. "Do you want me to take your things?" Based on Lovino's scowl, Matthew assumed that he had offended his guest. He had never met anyone from other regions so Matthew didn't know how to talk to one. "No, I'll take it. Please, point me to where I'll be staying." Matthew stepped back from Lovino and led him up the stairs. "First door on the left. Sorry for the inconvenience." Lovino dropped his bags in the room.

If he were home, Lovino would be sitting in the grass under the shade of a tree. He would be reading, not only to himself, but to whoever wanted to listen. He'll sometimes be telling a made up story. Most adults avoided him, but the children, they flocked to him. They would drag their parents to that shaded tree and force them to listen to the funny man and his stories. Lovino would put on his best smile as he talked to the children. He would act out what was happening. The children loved him. Unfortunately, with the increase of monster attacks, the children almost never came outside. They would watch from their windows, longing to hear a story.

Lovino dug into his luggage and pulled out a book. Taking this as a his cue to leave, Matthew back out if the room.

Matthew tiptoed in the kitchen after Lovino settled in. He whipped up a batch of pancakes. He didn't want his guest hungry.

Before his mother died, she would make pancakes on special occasions. They were fluffy and tasted like cake. Matthew loved them. His mother would drain the sap from maple trees and drizzle them in top of the pancakes. Matthew had soon become addicted to the topping. He would put it on everything, his morning coffee, pasta, bacon, toast, sausages, biscuits. He'd even pour the syrup into the snow until hardened, that way he could eat it plain. Matthew scooped the pancakes onto a plate as there was a knock at the door. "One minute please." Matthew made sure the cast iron stove was off, then hurried over to the door.

A tall muscular man stood at his door step. He wore heavy armor that protected his vital organs. He had a stern face with piercing icy blue eyes. His trimmed hair brought about an air of obedience and fear. Matthew thought he looked terrifying.

"B-Bonjour." Matthew stuttered, letting the warrior inside. "Hallo, I'm Ludwig Beilschmidt. I'm joining you on your journey." The bluntness of his guests surprised Matthew. He had never expected them to show up on their own accord. Matthew convinced himself that these people would want something from him. He thought he'd have to put up a reward. Instead, people were throwing themselves at him doorstep, ready to die. Matthew shook his head. He mustn't think of it as dying. He must think of it as saving, with possible chance of failure. Not death, Failure. "I'm M-Matthew Williams. You c-can put your coat in the closet."

Ludwig slid his coat into the closest. He then followed Matthew up the stairs to the guest rooms, taking his time drinking up the scenery.

Paintings, medals- engraved with Alfred's name-and Ice region flags decorated the walls. Hickory wood and velvet furniture laid about the living space. And everything centered around the beautiful granite fireplace. On the ledge if the fireplace was the hollowed out horn of an Eisbär. Ludwig knew how hard it was to kill one. He turned head towards Matthew.

The man had curly gold hair and bright purple eyes that seemed to hold the universe. It wasn't the color that made his eyes seem that way, it was the hollow look to them. Matthew's eyes seemed like the void. They seemed endless. Despite being empty pits, they held everything. They sparked with emotions and curiosity. His eyes weren't what caught Ludwig off guard though. It was the way this man held himself. He slouched so he looked small and weak. He walked with head facing the floor. It looked as if, Matthew didn't trust the floor. He didn't trust that the earth's gravity would keep him grounded. Based on these assumptions, Ludwig concluded that Matthew didn't live alone. And whoever he lived with, was strong enough for two.

"I'm sorry Mr. B-Beilschmidt but we only have a limited amount of rooms. You'll have to stay with Lovino. Sorry." The guest room had two beds, one on either side of the room. The walls were dark maroon, much like the rest of the house. There was large window on the back wall that looked out to a bustling farmers market.

The other man, Lovino, was flipping through the pages the page of a book. One could guess Lovino's region with ease, based on his light olive skin and dark hair. Fire region, Ludwig sighed, sliding his luggage underneath the bed.

Ludwig had problems with the Fire region. Everyone there seemed to look down on Warriors from other regions. They'd spit on him when he passed. They'd ignore him. They had even increase the prices of groceries for him and only him. In a simple term, they hated Ludwig and he had no idea why. He quickly set his luggage down and began straightening out the room. Much to the annoyance of his roommate.

Lovino was amazing at reading people. He could know someone's personality after having one conversation with them. It was like a super power. A super power Lovino often abused. And after on look at the Warrior, Lovino knew two things. One, this man had a stick up his ass and two, Lovino didn't like him. And He would treat him so.

By later that afternoon, three more guest had arrived at Matthew's house. Each one was from a different region and no-one worked the same occupation. Unfortunately, not everyone got along. "Who are calling old, you bloody twit?" Especially Arthur and Alfred. "Dude, you like you're fifty." Matthew flinched as a glass plate smashed into the wall. He wasn't worried about the plates, they were cheap. "I'm twenty-three! You idiot!" No-one seemed to care that Arthur was choking Alfred. Matthew let loose a sigh, the fighting would end one way or another.

Everyone was minding their own business and enjoying Matthew's pancakes. Lovino curled up on the couch, immersed in his book. Ludwig dusted off the house. While Mathias and Yào had a friendly conversation. All ignored the fighting. "Excuse me?" Matthew whispered. "I was about to go over plans for the trip. So can you guys stop fighting?" It was a wonder that Matthew had convinced Alfred to stay home. His stubbornness paid off in his favor. Matthew was more than happy with his decision. "No need to get your panties in a twist." Alfred laughed, push the earth region doctor on the ground. "Plus my little bro is trying to talk. You don't want to ignore him." He leaned in, hissing into Arthur's ear. Alfred would protect his brother no matter what. He knew Matthew was anxious and worried that this journey would be too much for him. Alfred was the kind of brother who wouldn't act like they cared, but would kill for his sibling. No, he wouldn't die for his brother, he's do more than die. Alfred would scarifice his moral goals, his _freedom_ , to protect the only family he had left. But, Alfred also had to let Matthew do this one his own.

"Uh Thanks Al." After gaining his guests attention, Matthew began describing the plan.

The plan was to travel to each region, in each region the group would climb each mountain. The goal of the journey was to find out why, after hundreds of years, the monsters were leaving the mountain. They hoped to stop the monsters from ever leaving.

Matthew got the idea from legends. Legends, as old as dirt, told of special forces that controlled the monsters. At the top of the mountains were these special hidden forces. Or so the legend told.

Most people didn't believe in these superstitions, but it was the best Matthew had. "Pardon me, lad, but what order will we visit each region?" Arthur asked, sipping tea that tasted of maple syrup. He had stopped trying to murder Alfred because it would be rude. "Um, I know you all came for your own reasons, so I was thinking we could go in order of importance. If you don't mind." Matthew was asking for the group to share their personal stories. To find out which regions they would visit first. "Not at all, Mr. Williams." Arthur gently placed the cup down. His eyes shadowed slightly. "I am joining for revenge. Those blasted beasts murdered my little brother. I do not wish to speak more of the subject." Despite the guilt Arthur felt, He had finally pulled himself out of grief a few months prior. The other five travelers understood. They had all dealt with losses. Ludwig cleared his throat and stood up. "I am here to serve my region, As requested by my Marshall." Ludwig felt that any job given by his superiors made it his personal duty. "My main job is to protect you all." Matthew hadn't expected any region leaders to care about their expedition. He hadn't even expected a Warrior coming to join them. Matthias, who was smoking in the corner, placed his cancer stick in the ashtray, then stood up to speak. "I came here to find my family. Whispers took them a few nights ago and I need to find them before it's too late." Despite the hopeless possibility of his family not being alive, Mathias smiled. It wasn't a sad smile, or a happy one. It was a hopeful smile. Matthew stared at his feet. He had heard rumors about whispers. Everyone knew, those taken by whispers were dead. One does not survive a whisper. After everyone had shared their reasons, Matthew devised a plan. He figured since Mathias had family taken, they would start in the wind region. The six of them would travel in a circle from Mathias's region and end in Lovino's. They planned to leave first thing in the morning. "Um, I need to go shopping. Does anyone need anything?" Matthew mumbled, pulling on his coat. Arthur stood next to him. "I'll join you. I'm rather good at baking and I'd like to pick up some groceries." Matthew agreed and the two headed out.

Matthew led Arthur through the town. Vendors lined the streets. Which sold anything imaginable. Tourist crowded around magicians or band's that performed for simple cash. Matthew tossed gold coins to street performers as they wandered the market. He always paid them. After all they worked all day, playing music or performing life risking tricks. One street always had drunks no matter what time of day and smelled like rotting milk and body odor. That street was a popular tourist spot, for some reason. Matthew made sure to steer them away from that street. Towards the end of the market was bakeries, small shops and the farmers market. "I usually buy my food from here." Matthew mumbled, digging through a crate of apples. Arthur sifted through bags of sugar. "My family had a garden since our town didn't have a farmers market." The two walked around the farmers market, grabbing what they needed. "What town do you live in, Mr. Kirkland?" Matthew asked as he paid for a carton of eggs. Arthur tossed the vender a couple of gold coins. "Please, called me Arthur. We will be spending quite some time together." Arthur grabbed the eggs from Matthew. "I'm from the town of Mormur, by the way." Mormur known for it's high population of Homosexuals. They weren't hated upon, as they used to be, but that didn't mean Homosexuals had it easy. In fact, most looked down upon them, as lowercase citizens. For this reason, most migrated to a small town in the middle of the earth region. "Does that mean you're..?" Arthur interrupted Matthew before he could speak. "Heavens no, I'm as straight as pole." Matthew paid for the groceries and they left the market. The two took their time walking home, arriving before the sun dipped behind the horizon.

O~O

Ludwig woke up before the sun rose, he quickly dressed. He repacked his luggage and headed downstairs. The sweet aroma of Orange juice and over easy eggs welcomed Ludwig as he entered the kitchen. Matthew stood in front of the stove, watching eggs as the sizzled in a pan. He had his hair pulled up, and he wore a flour coated apron. He focused on making them perfect. Matthew wasn't a perfectionist, unless it came to food. If food wasn't perfect, then it wasn't edible.

With Matthew occupied, Ludwig took it upon himself to clean the living. He didn't want to leave the house a mess.

Ludwig's father had been in the military throughout his childhood. He was a strict man and had forced Ludwig to grow up under military standards. Such as, waking up earlier or keeping clean and organized. Ludwig's childhood hadn't allowed much fun, but he didn't mind. Ludwig thought fun was pointless. Wanting to follow in his father's footsteps, Ludwig also joined the Military. "Good m-morning Mr. Beilschmidt. Are you packed? W-We are going to leave when everyone wakes up." Matthew shoveled the eggs onto a plate and handed them to Ludwig. The Warrior nodded and took his plate to the couch. Ludwig's quietness put Matthew on ease. He was used to chatter around. It was easier for him to slip in the crowd, unnoticed.

Matthew left for his room. He shut the door behind him, leaning against it. Matthew worried about the endless dangerous he could encounter on the trip. He couldn't stop thinking. His thoughts were endless. Matthew had never left the town, he had no idea what to expect. Thinking about the vast, unknown world made Matthew panic. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. It didn't help. The others were expecting him to lead the journey. They would hate Matthew when they found out he had no idea what he was doing. Should he should call it off? But then he had wasted everyone's time. If Matthew called it off, Mathias might never find his family. Yao's company would fail. The children in Lovino's village would still die. If no one stops the monsters, who else would die? Matthew took one more deep breath. People needed him, needed them. He padded over to his suitcase, grabbing random outfits and shoving them in. Matthew shut the lid and dragged his luggage to the door.

He _was_ going to stop the monsters.

O~O

A few hours later, everyone had eaten and were loading their bags into a carriage. "Are you absolutely sure you don't want me to come with you?" Alfred asked as he carried Matthew's bag to the carriage. "Absolutely positive."

A small girl with short blonde hair approach the group. She had blue ribbon and she wore a pink dress. "Um, Excuse me, Sir." She said tugging on the hem of Yao's shirt. Yao threw his bag onto the carriage, then turned to the little girl. "Can you please help me find my big bruder? He was here just a second ago." The girl frowned, her eyes filling with tears. "This is my first time in this region and I have no idea where i am. Please help me find my Bruder." By now the little girl had everyone one distracted. The door of alfred's house was left wide open so they could get the bags through the door and no one was inside. Yao couldn't stand someone losing their family. He also understood the horrible lost feeling one could have in a different region.

In the midday rush hour, streets crowded with people. Sweaty workers slid against each other, pushing to get home. It was the capital city of the fire region, the fourth most populated place In the word. The atmosphere was overwhelming for any first timers to the city. Especially young children.

In Yao's family, when a child turned six, they could leave the region. It was a tradition that was around since the beginning of the Wang family. This was his first time ever leaving the region and He could feel the panic boiling in his chest.

With the space around them closing, Yao reached out and grabbed his father's hand. The man turned back, giving his son's hand a gentle reassuring squeeze. He gave a small smile as He rushed Yào through the crowd. The two were heading for their cottage but the crowd of people swept them away. Most elbowed past each other, some mumbling sorry. Small children weaved between the legs of adults to avoid getting trampled. One could get lost in a crowd as large as the cities crowd was.

In the midst of rush hour a large bell rang followed by screams of children. All at once the people in crowd spun around. They ran off in a crazy and unordered fashion. A large winged beast flew in the distance. Gooey drops of magma flowed from its jaws and dripped off it's wings. Sizzling on the ground below it. The monster's scales were black. They pulsed and oozed. The beast coughed ash into the air.

Yao could feel his father's hand slip. Both tried to hold on, but the crowd swept them away. The beast let out a roar as Yao called out to his father. The ocean of terrified people bumped and tossed Yao. The crowd trampled him. A child laid on the ground, lost, alone and terrified. This was the moment when Yao realized how important family was.

Without family, He was trying to run in a sea of uncertainty. A sea where the they only way to live is to swim, but no one told you how. Family is a life vest. They keep you afloat.

"Sure, Little lady. We'll help you find your brother, aru." Yao couldn't ignore the girl. She was looking for her family and family was everything. She was looking for everything.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. He has hair like mine and…" As the girl keep talking, a person with long platinum blond hair snuck into the house. She had a knife clenched between her teeth. She shuffled through the house, shoving anything of value into a bag. She carefully walked about the house. "Hey you! Bitch who is stealing shit!" Lovino yelled, dropping his luggage and blocked the door.

The woman darted toward towards him. She dropped to her knees and slid between Lovino's legs. "Lilli, My люблю. We must be off." The woman with platinum blonde hair, stretched her hand out. Lilli, the little girl, spun around. She slid her hands into Yao's pocket, drawing out his money. "Natalia!" She called, grabbing hands with the other woman. Natalia gave Lilli a small kiss on the forehead before she picked the girl up. "Come back you whores!" Lovino yelled.

Alfred and Ludwig Both ran forward. The two warriors caught up with the girls in no time. Alfred reached and pulled Natalia to the ground. Lilli fell from Natalia's grip, landing on the stone without a scratch. She quickly gathered the money that had dropped. The little girl hopped to her feet in a rapid motion. In one quick motion, kicked Ludwig in the groin then sped off. Natalia flipped Alfred over, slamming his back onto the ground, then followed Lilli. They moved in rapid motion, disappearing before either warrior could recover. In their rush, the thieves had dropped the stolen items on the pathway. Alfred picked up his property and returned them to their rightful place.

With no further delays, the adventurers finished loading their things and left.

Each person had a wave of emotions running through their heads. Emotions ranging from excitement to dread to fear. Uncertainty and adventures lay ahead, and they were ready to face it all.

 ** _Here we go, Chapter 3. Sorry it took so long to get out. I had finals and a bunch of other shit. This chapter wasn't interesting, I know. I honestly I hate the chapter but the story has to start somehow. I added the part with Liechtenstein and Belarus to add some action and test out how to write both of them for future fan fictions. (I'm going to make them assassins.) Th.e next chapter should be more action packed._**


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